Finnish MP to lead Election Observation Mission to Moldova

COPENHAGEN, 20 February 2001 - Mr. Kimmo Kiljunen (MP-Finland) will lead the Organization for Security and Co-operation observers for the Parliamentary Elections in Moldova on Sunday 25 February.

Mr. Kiljunen will act as Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Romanian Foreign Minister Mr. Mircea Dan Geoana, leading the Mission and delivering the preliminary post election statement on Monday 26 February. Mr. Kiljunen is a Member of the Finnish Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and is also Chair of the Assembly's Working Group on Moldova.

The OSCE observer team includes 36 representatives of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, representing OSCE countries which include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

The OSCE Election Observation Mission to Moldova is a joint effort between the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The OSCE Observation Mission will assess the conduct of the elections, the political campaign and the role of the media. Long-term observers have already been deployed for several weeks across the country. This week, the short-term observers will be deployed in Moldova by the OSCE Election Observation Mission.

For further information, representatives of the media are kindly requested to contact OSCE PA Press Counsellor Jan R.M. Jooren at the International Secretariat in Copenhagen, tel.: +45 33 37 80 40, fax: +45 33 37 80 30, e-mail: press.counsellor@oscepa.dk

In Chisinau, Moldova: Ms. Tina Schøn, Mobile tel. +45 4030 9445, Hotel Bacia tel.: +373 (2) 232231 fax: +373 (2) 2344647